LAGUNA HILLS – For Sway Ballroom owners Matt and Lisa Brown, celebrating a year in business is validation their dream is going to work. The Browns marked their anniversary Friday with a salsa class and party attended by more than 100 people.

Opening a dance studio was a longtime goal of the Browns, who’ve spent their careers trying to get people’s feet moving. The studio offers most partner dance styles, including salsa, cha-cha, rumba, various styles of Swing, the waltz, tango and Foxtrot – even country-western.

“Basically anything you’d see on ‘Dancing with the Stars’,” Matt Brown said.

Sway offers private lessons every day, and has a rotating schedule of $12 group lessons that welcome drop-ins. Each style of dance shows up about two or three times per month, Brown said, with more popular dances like salsa or West Coast Swing appearing more often.

Laguna Hills resident Bosco Sun was working on his promenade during an intermediate East Coast Swing class just before the anniversary party. He started dancing in mid-June with his wife in an attempt to cheer her up, he said. The family dog had just died, and they looked to the classes as a distraction.

Sun said he didn’t know he’d have so much fun.

“I’m still just a beginner, but it’s been great,” Sun said. “It’s been a real bonding experience for us.”

Christine Caley, right, sells tickets to Sway Ballroom's first anniversary party Oct. 18. MEGAN NICOLAI, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Anniversary attendees wait for a group salsa class to begin Oct. 18 during Sway Ballroom's first anniversary party. MEGAN NICOLAI, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Sway Ballroom fills up for its first anniversary party Oct. 18. MEGAN NICOLAI, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Couples take part in a group salsa lesson Oct. 18 during Sway Ballroom's first anniversary party. More than 100 people attend the event. MEGAN NICOLAI, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Couples take part in a group salsa lesson Oct. 18 during Sway Ballroom's first anniversary party. More than 100 people attend the event. MEGAN NICOLAI, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Couples learn new steps during a group salsa lesson to celebrate Sway Ballroom's first anniversary party Oct. 18. Sway holds a dance party every Friday that usually attracts about 40 people. MEGAN NICOLAI, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Matt Brown, center, goes through a few salsa moves during a group lesson Oct. 18 at Sway Ballroom's first anniversary party, which more than 100 people attended. MEGAN NICOLAI, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Couples work out new salsa moves during Sway Ballroom's first anniversary party Oct. 18. MEGAN NICOLAI, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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